1 Magnetism is the force by which objects are attracted to other objects or repelled by other objects. Magnets have two opposite ends, called poles. The north pole of one magnet will repel, or push away, the north pole of another magnet. The same thing will happen with two south poles. However, the north pole of one magnet will attract, or pull toward itself, the south pole of another magnet. Just like people say about some boyfriends and girlfriends, opposites attract.2 Magnets get their name from Magnesia, a place in Asia where lodestones were found in ancient times. Lodestones were the first known magnets. They are rocks containing iron that have become permanently magnetized. We call permanent iron magnets like these ferromagnetic (ferro- is a prefix that means "iron").3 Most iron is not permanently magnetic, but it can be made into a temporary magnet. The reason this is possible has to do with the electrons that make up the iron atoms. When the electrons are lined up just right, the piece of iron becomes a temporary magnet.